Neil Thomas Horse & Musket Scenario 4 - More Simplicity in Practice

This is the fourth scenario in Neil Thomas' One Hour Wargames book, again played with his Simplicity in Practice rules from Battlegames 023, slightly modified by me - see here for details of these modifications (and any comments or suggestions most gratefully received!)

The Forces:

Hanoverian Army:

6 units of Line Infantry

2 units of Dragoons

1 unit of Artillery

 

Franco-Jacobite Army:

6 units of Line Infantry

2 units of Horse

1 unit of Artillery

 

The 6 units per side of the original scenario have been increased by half to 9, to give a slightly richer game.  The Hanoverians start with 3 units on the hill, the objective of both sides in the game; the Franco-Jacobites arrive on turn 1, the remainder of the Hanoverians on turn 2 (subject to the leadership rules in my modifications in the latter case). 

The Set-Up:

The Battle:

The Franco-Jacobite Army marches forward, clearly intending to make a direct attack upon the hill.

The Jacobite Horse moves forward boldly to block the road and partially isolate the hill

A wider shot: one French regiment has been detached to cover the wood on the flank, whilst another remains in reserve (left)

The British main body has arrived: the British Dragoons threaten the wood, hoping to use their prowess in la petite guerre to clear it and turn the Franco-Jacobite right flank.

The Franco-Jacobite infantry attack en echelon with the left leading: this was to allow the artillery to play for as long as possible during the advance. 

The shooting of the Irishmen and Scotsmen on the French side is proving a tad more accurate than the shooting of the British side in the early exchanges.

A wider view

And yet wider

Foreshadowing Lasalle at Medina de Rio Seco? One of the regiments of Jacobite Horse detaches itself, wheels and charges the British infantry in the flank...

Who,lacking room to retreat, surrender en masse.

The British position is in immediate peril!

A wider shot

Immediately taking advantage of the confusion caused by the successful Jacobite Horse charge, an Irish regiment (left) charges and routs the Scottish regiment on the British right flank! (left-centre)

Only the British artillery remains in action on the hill (note that the Jacobite Horse has withdrawn before it suffered too much from the musketry of the British second line (top, top-right)

The British artillery was therefore pulled back off the hill before it was enveloped, and another British Foot regiment has taken its place; it is being enveloped by the advancing Franco-Jacobite infantry, however.

With no decent options available, the British regimental commander orders a charge against the Royal-Ecossais...

Meanwhile, despite coming under some pressure, the Normandie infantry regiment and the Jacobite Horse are holding their own against the British infantry attacking down the road

The somewhat rash British charge was not rewarded with success...the British infantry recoil down the slopes (centre)

The Franco-Jacobite infantry have consolidated their position on the hill and are now attacking the British second line; the Royal-Ecossais have charged down the hill and completed the rout of their former opponents

A wider shot showing the basic asymmetry of the positions of the two sides at this point: the Franco-Jacobite attack on the main objective has been executed successfully; the British counter-attack down the road has been desultory; the French regiment in the wood has succssfully fought the British Dragoons to a standstill.

Very effective fire, particularly from the French artillery, has broken one of the leading British battalions, leaving another gap in the threadbare British lines.

The Normandie Regiment finally breaks after its mounting losses have become unbearable

But there are still three units defending the centre of the Franco-Jacobite line.

Although the Jacobite Horse starts falling in large numbers from the British musketry

However, the British Right Flank has been destroyed and the remnants of it and the centre are thrown back en potence towards the road

An Irish regiment charges the British guns...

But is it driven off, with heavy losses

However, the other Irish regiment has been more successful in its charge - the British line has disintegrated and it is now sauve qui peut...

The position at the end of the battle

Game Notes:

Another fun encounter in a basic but interesting scenario.  In effect, the very poor initial British fire set the conditions for the remainder of the battle, since the Franco-Jacobites were able to launch a co-ordinated assault, with prepatory fire, before the British reinforcements could impact the battle.  The charge of the Jacobite Horse was a mistake on my part as the British commander: I had forgotten that the pivot rule allowed in the Simplicity in Practice rules allows that turn to the left-rear and a charge if the target is within range.  In the rules as written it would have been a 50:50 proposition still, although my modifications did give the Jacobite Horse a small advantage - but it came off and the British position on the hill was compromised from the off.  Apart from that, the only other thing of note was something that didn't really appear in the photo record: the long drawn-out skirmishing in the wood. Light infantry cannot charge in woods so the British Dragoons were forced to try and win by fire - which takes a long time due to the much reduced effectiveness of musketry.  

The figures as ever are by Baccus 6mm, again on a 2'x2' board.  These games are very cheap to put on - when I wrap up this series I may tot up how much it would cost to replicate the set-up.